Fort Myers, Fla. – In a game expected to be low scoring, the Lipscomb men’s soccer team dropped a 1-0 decision to the No. 2 seed ETSU in the semifinals of the Atlantic Sun Championship Friday night.

Coming into the game the two teams had combined for 16 shutouts and ranked as the league’s top two defenses. At the end of the night ETSU completed its 10th shutout of the year to set the single season A-Sun record.

“Today was one of those games that could have gone either way,” Lipscomb head coach Charles Morrow said. “Our team fought hard and we were unfortunate to be on the wrong side of the result.

“I appreciate the effort and commitment our team showed today and throughout the season.”

The loss dropped Lipscomb to 9-9-2 overall. ETSU improved to 9-5-4.

The Bisons came out and pressured ETSU from the first whistle and threw the Bucs off for much of the first period.

Neither team could get anything going until Anthony Cedano attempted the game’s first shot 10:07 in. Cedano found a hole and tried to shoot the ball into the left net but hooked it just wide. It would be the only attempt of the half for the Bisons.

The first half ended 0-0.

In the 51st minute Luke Gearin, who scored the game-winning goal against Jacksonville on Wednesday, tried to get the Bisons on the board but missed high. Less than three minutes later, ETSU would find the net.

A-Sun First Team selection David Geno found his way into the box and put a shot on goal that was saved by a diving Micah Bledsoe. The ball took a bounce off Bledsoe and William Nordenstrom took the rebound and struck it into the net for his second goal of the season. It proved to be the eventual game winner.

Lipscomb would get a shot from Troy Barr in the 61st minute on what was probably the best struck ball of the night for the Bisons, but curved past the right post.

Searching for an equalizer, the Bisons brought everyone up high in a last attempt to get a goal. They would get a couple of shots off the feet of Reece Holcombe and senior Tyler Burkhardt, but neither had much of a chance.

Friday afternoon’s loss marked the fourth-straight season that the Bisons came up on the short end of the straw in the A-Sun semifinals.

“I appreciate our seniors and their contributions to this program,” Morrow said. “This loss is particularly tough because this team is as good as any team in the conference.

“Soccer is a brutal and beautiful game in that the margin of error can be so small between a win and a loss.”

On the bus ride back to Nashville in the rain, the Bisons were upset but also eager for next season knowing the possibilities with just three seniors on the team. With the loss, the Bisons bid farewell to Tyler Burkhardt, Kyle Erickson and Josh Kolbo.

“As this season comes to a close we begin to look forward to next year,"Morrow said. "The future is very bright for out program.

“Returning every starter from this year’s team, we fully expect to be back next year and win this thing.”